6
1 The
LORD’s ark was in
the country of
the Philistines
seven months.
2 The
Philistines called
for the priests
and the diviners,
saying, “What shall
we do with
the LORD’s ark?
Show us how
we should send
it to its
place.”
3 They said, “If
you send away
the ark of the
God of Israel,
don’t send it
empty; but by
all means return
a trespass offering
to him. Then
you will be
healed, and it
will be known
to you why
his hand is
not removed from
you.”
4 Then
they said, “What
should the trespass offering
be which we
shall return to
him?”
They said, “Five
golden tumors and
five golden mice,
for the number
of the lords
of the Philistines;
for one plague
was on you
all, and on
your lords.
5 Therefore
you shall make
images of your
tumors and images
of your mice
that mar the land;
and you shall
give glory to
the God of
Israel. Perhaps he
will release his
hand from you,
from your gods,
and from your land.
6 Why
then do you
harden your hearts
as the Egyptians
and Pharaoh
hardened their
hearts? When he
had worked wonderfully
among them, didn’t
they let the
people go, and
they departed?
7 “Now
therefore take and
prepare yourselves
a new cart
and two milk cows
on which there
has come no
yoke; and tie the
cows to the
cart, and bring
their calves home
from them;
8 and
take the LORD’s ark
and lay it
on the cart.
Put the jewels
of gold, which
you return him
for a trespass
offering, in a box
by its side;
and send it
away, that it
may go.
9 Behold,
if it goes
up by the
way of its
own border to Beth
Shemesh, then he
has done us
this great evil;
but if not,
then we shall
know that it
is not his
hand that struck
us. It was
a chance that
happened to us.”
10 The
men did so,
and took two milk
cows and tied them
to the cart,
and shut up
their calves at
home.
11 They
put the LORD’s ark
on the cart,
and the box with
the golden mice
and the images
of their tumors.
12 The
cows took the
straight way by
the way to Beth
Shemesh. They went
along the highway,
lowing as they
went, and didn’t
turn away to
the right hand
or to the
left; and the
lords of the
Philistines went
after them to
the border of Beth
Shemesh.
13 The
people of Beth Shemesh
were reaping their
wheat harvest in
the valley; and
they lifted up
their eyes and
saw the ark, and
rejoiced to see
it.
14 The
cart came into
the field of
Joshua of Beth Shemesh,
and stood there,
where there was
a great stone.
Then they split
the wood of
the cart and
offered up the
cows for a
burnt offering to
the LORD.
15 The
Levites took down
the LORD’s ark and
the box that was
with it, in
which the jewels
of gold were,
and put them
on the great stone;
and the men
of Beth Shemesh offered
burnt offerings
and sacrificed
sacrifices the
same day to
the LORD.
16 When
the five lords
of the Philistines
had seen it,
they returned to
Ekron the same
day.
17 These are
the golden tumors
which the
Philistines returned
for a trespass
offering to the
LORD: for Ashdod
one, for Gaza
one, for Ashkelon
one, for Gath
one, for Ekron
one;
18 and
the golden mice,
according to the
number of all
the cities of
the Philistines belonging
to the five
lords, both of
fortified cities
and of country
villages, even to
the great stone on
which they set
down the LORD’s
ark. That stone remains to
this day in
the field of
Joshua of Beth Shemesh.
19 He
struck of the
men of Beth Shemesh,
because they had
looked into the
LORD’s ark, he
struck fifty thousand
seventy of the
men. Then the
people mourned,
because the LORD
had struck the
people with a
great slaughter.
20 The men
of Beth Shemesh said, “Who
is able to
stand before the
LORD, this holy
God? To whom
shall he go
up from us?”
21 They
sent messengers to
the inhabitants of
Kiriath Jearim, saying, “The
Philistines have
brought back the
LORD’s ark. Come
down and bring
it up to
yourselves.”